Do You Have to Be Catholic to Attend Our Lady of Grace Catholic School?

This is a question we receive from many non-Catholic parents looking for a private, Christian education for their children. The answer is “No, your child doesn’t have to be Catholic to attend our school.”

While Our Lady of Grace Catholic School (OLGCS) gives first preference to the members of our and other Catholic parishes, if we have room to accommodate non-Catholic students, we will accept them.

Historically, Catholic schools exist predominantly to educate children from Catholic families, but in recent years, the Catholic church has advocated a more inclusive approach to Catholic education. The Church now welcomes children who are socio-economically disadvantaged, those who are from indigenous or multicultural backgrounds, those who have special educational needs, and those who have faiths other than Catholic. In fact, nationally, about one-fifth of students in Catholic schools are non-Catholic, according to the National Catholic Educational Association. And, this number often increases in inner-city Catholic schools where 70% to 80% of students are non-Catholic.

Reasons Why Parents Send Non-Catholic Children to Catholic Schools

Research shows that families from different faiths choose to send their children to Catholic schools for a variety reasons, including:

They want their children to receive a Christ-centered education where religion is openly taught and where prayer and other religious practices are encouraged. Through a religious education, they want their children to develop and deepen their own faith. At OLGCS, we focus on Catholic identity in all aspects of our curriculum.

They want their children to learn and practice a set of moral principles in the classroom every day, not just at home. They want their children to exposed to good role models within the school, like teachers and staff, who actively live their faith and beliefs and demonstrate strong moral values.

They want their children to be taught in a safe environment where discipline is provided.

They want their children to receive (what they perceive to be) a better education at a Catholic school based on academic excellence. Many parents want their children to have more teacher-student interaction in smaller classrooms. Another reason is that, overall, 97% of students who attend Catholic schools graduate and 76% of these students attend college. Therefore, parents want their children to receive an excellent education that takes them into their adult years and beyond.

They may want their children to receive a more-focused education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which many Catholic schools now offer. At OLGCS, our preschool through 8th grade students are exposed to STEM educational approaches every day in our classrooms.

They may want their children to receive an arts-based education. OLGCS offers art and musical opportunities like choir, string ensembles, and mallet ensembles.

They want their children to learn to serve their community, which many Catholic schools emphasize. While all OLGCS students can participate in service opportunities, our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are required to complete a minimum number of service hours throughout the school year.

They want their child to become part of a special school community where the focus is on the Gospel and everyone feels like they’re part of a family.

What to Expect When You Send Your Child to a Catholic School

Your child will receive an excellent curriculum in English, math, science, history and social studies. However, what sets Catholic schools apart is that faith is integrated into the curriculum. OLGCS also emphasizes the liturgical seasons of the Church year by having special activities and events, such as Stations of the Cross, Seder Meals, and Advent celebrations.

Additionally, your child will attend religion class and pray daily, typically, in the mornings and before meals. Weekly, your child will attend school-wide Mass, although non-Catholics don’t partake in Communion. Our faculty and Catholic students will offer your child guidance during these activities, such as when to stand and sit during Mass.

What to Do Next if You’re Considering OLGCS for Your Child

The best way to find out if OLGCS is right for your family is to visit. This will give you an opportunity to meet the teachers and staff, to get a “feel” for the place, and to experience the atmosphere. We can even give your child the opportunity to shadow a student for a day to experience what OLGCS is like. To schedule a tour, contact Terra Olson at TLOlson@ologn.org to schedule a visit today!

Chances are, we believe, you’ll decide that OLGCS is a perfect educational environment for your non-Catholic child to learn and grow.